Category: blog

Shoplifting in a Van Nuys retail store can be a stressful and frightening experience. Security personnel, police involvement, and the risk of a criminal record may make it seem like there is no way to avoid a conviction. But a charge for shoplifting does not equate to a conviction. Shoplifting is a specific-intent crime under…

A heavily debated subject in American gun law is the issue of the open carry of firearms. California has enacted some of the strictest firearm laws. Open carry is generally unlawful for ordinary citizens in most public places in California. Lawmakers over the years have passed laws prohibiting both loaded and unloaded guns from being…

According to California Penal Code 278.5 PC, deprivation of custody is the act of taking, enticing away, keeping, withholding, or concealing a child, and maliciously depriving a legal custodian of a right to custody or visitation. Penal Code 278.5 applies to those who have a legal interest in the child, for example, a parent or…

California Vehicle Code 2800.3 VC criminalizes the willful act of fleeing or trying to flee a pursuing peace officer’s motor vehicle and, in the process, causing serious bodily injury or death to any individual. Being an aggravated form of evading an officer, this offense occurs when the pursuing officer is driving a vehicle that is…

Many perpetrators of violent crimes accomplish the offenses using dangerous knives. Therefore, anyone carrying a concealed weapon is deemed a threat to the public. So, the state passed PEN 21310, prohibiting individuals from carrying a concealed dirk or dagger to promote public safety. A violation of the statute is a wobbler, and if convicted, you…

Harassment refers to any unwelcome, pervasive, or severe conduct based on a person’s protected characteristics, like sexual orientation, gender, and religious beliefs, which creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment. It may include bullying, stalking, or sexual harassment, and all kinds of people, including employers, educators, and landlords. The law protects harassment victims. They can…

Contributing to the delinquency of a minor is a grave criminal act. It involves any action or failure to act that causes a child to become delinquent, a habitual truant, or a dependent of the court. Under Penal Code 272, law enforcement agencies can address conduct by adults that poses a threat to a child’s…

Accidents occur all the time, but when they result in the loss of someone’s life, you could face serious legal consequences, including up to life behind bars. If you are curious whether the prosecutor could charge you with “accidental homicide,” many people have the same concern, and it is a reasonable question. The answer to…

Attempted murder happens when you try to kill a person but fail. It is a serious felony, punishable by a lengthy prison sentence and a hefty fine. A conviction for attempted murder also results in life-changing consequences, mainly because it leaves you with a damaging criminal record. It is also a strike, under the Three-Strikes…

An arraignment is typically your first court appearance after an arrest, and it is the stage at which criminal charges are formally brought against you. Within hours or, at most, a couple of days, you are brought before a judge. The charges listed in the complaint or indictment are formally presented, unless counsel waives the…